Lappeenranta University of Technology

Master's Programme in International Marketing Management, MIMM

Companies nowadays cannot just concentrate on domestic markets if they want to remain competitive. International marketing allows marketing managers to look for growing target markets and product opportunities overseas.

Today, the marketplace has expanded in a global nature. For companies to continue to grow successfully, marketing managers have to constantly to look for overseas opportunities to increase its market share.

In this master's programme you will study courses about consumer attitudes to products and businesses and consumer behaviour in a rapidly changing world. Through these courses you will develop a more creative, flexible and customer-focused approach. Your studies will be concentrated on strategic marketing, international business, and technology management, which carry strong career-building potential.

During your studies, you will gain real-life competencies in case studies, simulation games, elevator pitches, company assignments and role-playing. The curriculum of the Master's programme covers a wide spectrum of elements supporting the corporate learning experience. For example, courses incorporating field-based experiential learning typically promote company input and involvement, reflectivity, active engagement, the development of problem-solving, information-gathering and analytical skills, oral presentation and company feedback.

About 80% of the Master's theses are based on real-life business problems.

International Learning Environment

You will study an international business curriculum that brings together expertise from different disciplines. Courses are classified in three different groups according to the level of international learning experience they offer.

First, truly international courses create cultural awareness by several means, such as the mix of international students, support for intercultural teamwork, cultural awareness through the subject studied, having a teacher with an international background, and providing international learning materials. Secondly, specialised international business courses address international issues and offer experience elements such as working in international groups, focusing on international aspects of the topic and providing international learning materials. Thirdly, international elements may be included in traditional courses.

Intended Learning Outcomes

You will have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of international business strategy process of all kinds of firms and be able to outline the current challenges in international marketing and possess skills to propose solutions for these.

You will be able to interpret the special characteristics of international knowledge-intensive environment and innovations and their role in marketing decision-making. You will also learn how to apply different marketing tools and strategies in the context of technology and knowledge-intensive markets and how to analyze and criticize firms' strategic marketing decisions in these markets.

After completing this study programme you will have acquired comprehensive theoretical and practical competencies in conducting strategic international marketing management in turbulent global environments. You will develop your competencies in analytical skills, intercultural issues and combining business and technology.

You will

understand and assess the challenges of turbulent business environments

be able to evaluate and design strategies in such environments either in marketing, international business and/or technology management fields and in their intersection

be able to apply relevant business skills

be able to choose relevant additional knowledge and skills to support subject-based expertise and international readiness

be able to conduct and report on an independent scientific research project

be able to utilize strong analytical skills and apply tools required for professional practices

be able to show a global, innovative, market-oriented and ethical mindset

You will have an understanding of the characteristics of the international market environment and will be familiar with theories and strategies of firm internationalization and multinational enterprises. You will also possess a market-oriented mindset, and view marketing as a strategic orientation of a firm. You will have an innovative mindset, and see dynamic business environments as opportunities and are trained to do strategic marketing decisions in such environments.

Having an innovative mindset, you will

be able to work together with specialists from different functional backgrounds

have an ability to challenge existing ways of thinking, strategies, and operating models (strategic flexibility)

understand the ethical consequences of strategic decisions towards all stakeholders

possess comprehensive/holistic awareness of how technologies and innovations shape organisations, market, society, and the environment

Degree structure and studies

The Master's programme in International Marketing Management is a two-year programme. It leads to the degree of Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration, M.Sc. (Econ. & Bus. Adm.), which is 120 ECTS credits.

Master's thesis and seminar, 30 ECTS credits, is a part of specialisation studies. The thesis is an advanced research project, which requires approximately six months of full-time work. It is completed during the fourth semester of the degree programme.

Dual degree studies

The MIMM programme also offers students a possibility for dual degree studies. Students admitted to the dual degree programme receive a degree certificate from two universities after they have fulfilled the degree requirements of both universities.

The MIMM dual degree partner university is SKEMA Business School, France.

Students admitted to complete the Master's degree in the MIMM programme at LUT or in SKEMA Business School may apply for the dual degree programme.

Career prospects

Earning your degree in international marketing gives you many different employment options. In the context of global competition, you will be prepared to assume leadership positions in marketing and sales in an internationally operating companies.

The marketing world is constantly changing and developing. Marketing is not a monotonous career that involves doing the same thing every day, and this is what makes it so interesting. You might find placements as advertising manager, consumer behaviour consultant, marketing researcher, product and brand manager, public relations manager or retail manager. An academic role is also a career path open to you. With our master's profile, you can become not only a specialist, but also an entrepreneur.

MIMM programme graduates have found specialist positions in a broad range sectors and firms: marketing, international business, product development, sales, logistics, international service business, consulting, and market research in companies like Nokia, Google, or Navteq.

Higher education in Finland is free for students coming from countries within the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. Students who are citizens of a country outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland are required to pay tuition fees for Master's programmes. The amount of tuition fee is 10 000 €/Master’s programme.

Extensive scholarships are available. There are three categories of available scholarships: full scholarship (covers tuition fee and living costs), tuition fee scholarship covering 100 % of tuition fee, and tuition fee scholarship covering 50 % of tuition fee.